Whatever it takes
by Charm65
Summary: Set after Laguna has confessed to Squall the truth about his family. What will it take for those two to finally make amends? Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy VIII characters. They all belong to Squaresoft.

A/N: I know that the whole story of Laguna and Squall has been written about heaps of times, but I just had to have my own shot at it. So, I hope you like it and I hope you'll be patient enough to see what happens next. R & R. (please)

**Chapter 1:**

**Reflections**

The President of Esthar sighed as he took another glance out his window. It had been almost a month since the sorceress incident. And a week since he last saw the Seed responsible for her defeat. Time had seemed to crawl so slowly from then on. It was like an endless torture that wouldn't leave him be. But he accepted it anyway. It was only fair right? After what he had done to that poor boy.

He smiled to himself. Maybe 'boy' wasn't the right word. 'Young man' suited him better. Although, he could never quite understand how quickly he had grown. And he wasn't talking physically. Squall was very mature for his age. Responsible, obedient, he was a perfect example of what a Seed should be. However, he was a very difficult person to understand, and a very hard person to talk to as Laguna found out a week ago.

When Ellone had told him the truth about Squall, he had never imagined that he would look so much like his mother. Not that Laguna was complaining. He was grateful that Squall had taken after his mother and not him. He had her eyes. Eyes that had had been burning with fury not long ago.

_"It can't be true. . . it can't be!" _

_"Squall. . . . please. . . . listen to me. . . I want to talk to you. . ."_

_"There's nothing to talk about! I want nothing to do with you!" _

Laguna cringed slightly. He couldn't erase that day from his mind. Squall had been so angry, he hadn't listened to a single word he said. He had stormed out of the room vowing never to forgive Laguna for not returning to Winhill and claiming clearly that he didn't want to see him again. Laguna had never felt so rejected in his life.

Another faint sigh escaped the President's lips as he moved away from the window. Maybe it was for the best. Squall had done well on his own so far, why would he need a silly ex-galbadian soldier to bother him now. And if Squall was happier this way. . . .

Laguna sat down at his desk and picked up a pen, preparing himself for another day's paper work.

-------------------------

"Squall! You're back!"

Squall smiled slightly as he was greeted with a small kiss and a hug from what was now his girlfriend. He had been away on a mission for a couple of days with a few of the others, and had just returned on what seemed like a never-ending train ride. He was grateful to be back at the garden.

"Did everything go well?" Rinoa asked as she walked with him around the passages of the first floor.

"Yeah. . . it did. . . .it wasn't too bad."

In Squall's mind, the mission had been quite a simple one, but none the less, he was still tired and he found it harder and harder to keep up with Rinoa's pace. It was only when they stopped in front of the Dorms that his mind focused on her again. She smiled at him understandingly.

"You should rest a bit, and then you can tell me how everything went."

He hugged her lightly and thanked her before slowly making his way towards his room. Upon entering he allowed himself to collapse on the bed, but sleep refused to overpower him. Instead, his mind began to think. And Squall didn't like thinking.

The past week had been an eventful one, and one that Squall would've preferred not to have. It was because of this eventful week that Squall had decided to go on such a simple mission in order to forget everything. Truths had been revealed, suspicions confirmed. To think that people had hidden so much from him after the sorceress was defeated. Especially Laguna. . . .

Squall shifted angrily in his bed. It was Laguna that he felt the most resentful to. It had taken him three weeks. Three weeks to tell him the truth about his mother, Ellone and himself. Three weeks. That day when Kiros and Ward commented about his mother and father, he had begun to suspect. . . but it had taken Laguna so long to finally admit the truth after Ultimecia was defeated.

Not that it mattered much though. It didn't change anything. Squall would still be a Seed in Balamb Garden and Laguna would still be the President of Esthar. Nothing would change. _It was his choice to leave in the first place. _Squall thought to himself. _If he really wanted to have a son, he would've gone back to Winhill. . . . it's too late now. _

Yes, Squall decided, it was much too late now. He had his own life, his own friends. He didn't need anyone else. Laguna should've thought of the consequences before he became the President. He should've at least gone back to check on Raine and Ellone before anything else.

_I've made it this far without him. . . I can make it the rest of the way just as easily. _

And with that final thought in his mind he closed his eyes and fell into a deep and heavy sleep.

To be continued. . . . . 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy VIII characters belong to Squaresoft.

A/N: OK, Chapter Two is a bit longer. Many thanks to:

**Maia's Pen: **Long time no see! (I'd put a smiley, but it doesn't come up) You're the first to review my story. (hugs) Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated. (insert smiley here). And yes, FF8 is also another obsession of mine too. Go Squall! Hope you like this chappie.

**Verdanii: **Thanks for your review. I hope you'll like this chapter as well.

**What Times Are It: **You make a good point. I suppose Squall probably would be more shocked than anything else. I can't change the first chappie now, but I'll take that in to consideration. Thanks a lot for the advice.

**hibeki: **I've updated now! Thanks for reviewing.

**Chapter 2:**

**Decisions: **

Kiros walked into his friend's office only to find him standing and staring out of the window again. He'd been like that all week. Leaving his desk in the middle of paperwork to reflect, think and reminisce. It had started to become a constant ritual for him, with less and less work being done, and the pile of papers growing bigger and bigger with every day that passed. However, Kiros knew that after their talk today, Laguna would be staring out that window more than ever. He cleared his throat.

"Laguna?"

Laguna turned at the sound of his friend's voice. He made an attempt to smile but failed miserably.

"Kiros. . . . . . um. . . how are things going?"

Monsters had stared to over-populate the Esthar region again, especially near the Sorceress Memorial and the Lunar Gate, and it becoming a hassle for those that wanted to get from one place to another. They had sent soldiers out to try to fight off the monsters, but with little experience over the past seventeen years and many of the soldiers having been injured from the Lunar Cry, it was getting harder to maintain things under control.

"Things aren't looking too good."

Laguna ran a hand through his hair before eventually slumping down in his chair near the desk. He closed his eyes for a moment pensive, but when no ideas came to mind he turned his glance to his friend.

"What do you propose we do?"

Kiros looked away for a moment.

"I wouldn't call it proposing. . . . . I came to tell you what we've already done."

Laguna gave a puzzled stare.

"What do you mean?"

Kiros sighed. Both he and Ward had made the decision that morning. It was the only option they really had that would have the best chance at working. And it might help resolve another problem that didn't involve fighting off monsters.

"Laguna, this problem is getting worse and worse. . . . .we need people who have experience with these situations."

The President froze suddenly. _He didn't. . . . . _

"I called Balamb Garden. . . . they can send us some Seeds for tomorrow."

Laguna cringed and got up quickly from his desk making his way towards the window. _How could he do this to me? Squall's going to hate me even more now. He's going to think that _I_ called_ _Balamb to drag him here. _He leaned on the windowsill, feeling his leg begin to cramp up.

Kiros watched his friend silently for a moment before deciding to go and lean on the sill next to him. They remained silent for a few minutes more until Kiros eventually spoke.

"You know it's for the best. . . for Esthar at least."

Laguna sighed and nodded sadly.

"Yeah. . . .I know. . . ." He looked to his desk vacantly. "But he's not going to like it."

Kiros moved away from the window.

"You guys need to talk. . . .properly."

"He won't listen to me. . ."

"Try to make him listen."

"He won't!"

"So you're giving up?"

"No, it's just. . . . .it's just so damn hard!"

Laguna banged his fists on the windowsill and stared at the city that was now under his control. He knew that without Kiros and Ward he would've never been able to make it this far. They had always helped him, supported him. But now, with his problems with Squall, he needed to deal with them alone. And it wasn't easy.

_No, it's not easy. _He thought to himself. _It was never going to be easy. _He looked at the city again. _But I've never given up. _

He looked towards Kiros then sat at his desk.

"I'll meet with them here tomorrow and explain the situation."

Kiros smiled.

"I'll let them know."

---------------

"Squall! Squall!"

Squall awoke to the sound of knocking and a bright, bubbly voice calling his name. He didn't need to open the door to know it was Selphie.

"Headmaster Cid wants to see you in his office. Something about a mission."

_Mission? _Squall's face hardened and he quickly got himself out of bed and left the Dorms. As he walked around the passages his mind sparked with curiosity. He hadn't been called on many missions since the defeat of Ultimecia, and the recent mission he had returned from was out of his own free-will.

_Must be important. _He thought as he entered the elevator.

As Squall went up to the third floor his mind went back to a month ago. Things had changed a lot since then. Balamb Garden had earned itself a good reputation with the defeat of the sorceress and more and more students were applying to become Seeds. However, it didn't make exams any easier, and many still failed. But it was good to see most of them trying.

He exited the elevator and saw Cid Kramer waiting for him. The Headmaster welcomed him with a smile.

"Squall. I heard all went well with your mission yesterday."

Squall suddenly remembered something. _I haven't given him my report. . . _

As if reading the young teenager's mind Cid shook his head.

"Quistis has already told me everything." He reassured him "I called you up here because I have an important mission for you."

Squall nodded.

"I'm sending Zell and Quistis to accompany you. It may be a bit strenuous, but I'm sure you'll get the job done."

Another nod came from Squall.

"What do you want us to do?"

The Balamb Headmaster paced around his office.

"I received a call from Esthar this morning. . . ."

At the mention of the place, Squall stiffened slightly. The memories of the week before came crawling back into his mind.

"There are having problems keeping control of the monsters in the region. I want your team to go there and help their soldiers fight off these monsters. . . ."

_Monsters? _He remembered the amount of monsters he had seen during the Lunar Cry and imagined that many of them had remained since then. He sighed angrily and looked to the side. _I suppose I'll have to see him again. _His thoughts were interrupted by Cid's voice.

"I want you and your team to leave this afternoon in order to arrive there by tomorrow morning." He looked at Squall. "I'm sure you have no problems."

Squall had all the urges to tell Cid that, yes, he did have a problem. That he didn't want to go to Esthar. That he didn't want to see Laguna again. But he couldn't. He hadn't told anyone about the events that had occurred the week before. Not even Rinoa, although she had suspected _something_ had happened. She had confronted him more than once, but he didn't tell her anything. He didn't want anyone to know. At least not yet.

"We'll leave as soon as possible."

And with that, Squall made his way to the first floor to find his comrades.

To be continued. . . 


End file.
